Expect the Unexpected

It's hard to believe that we're already a twelfth of the way through 2016.  Between getting back in the swing of work after the Christmas holiday, and filling our weekends with family, friends, fun, and rest, the month of love is nearly here.  January isn't necessarily a month which exudes expectations of adventure or festive celebrations, but this past month of January has proven to be full of unexpected endeavors.

Last weekend my friend Anne suggested that we have the boys make boats and float them down the river.  At first I was a little hesitant about the idea, but it proved to be an afternoon to remember.  I took some cedar shake shingles from our wood shed and the boys directed the moms in spray painting their boats.  Once dry, we shoved the boys into a pickup and headed for the south end of the Scott River.  As soon as the boys dropped their boats in the water and watched them begin to float furiously away, they ran very quickly, jumped in the truck, and screamed "Step on it, there's no cops in Callahan!"  Despite our diligent efforts and eagle eyes, we never spotted the boats again.  The boys rounded out the evening with an adult free bike ride and a game of nighttime baseball.  The three older friends managed to rig up field lights and concessions for the game.  This afternoon they went on a strenuous quail hunt with their dads and finished the day with a ride in an old Jeep.  I feel so blessed to share my life with my friend, doubly blessed that our husbands are great friends who enjoy their own fun, and triply blessed that our four boys can make an exciting and unexpected adventure out of any day.

Carter's class had the opportunity to go ice-skating.  This was a "first" in the history of field trips for our school and district and I didn't know what to expect.  True to the theme of the month, it was the best field trip I'd ever been on.  Counting eight years as a 4th grade teacher, and over ten in education, I've been on a few.  It was nearly sixty degrees and blue skies.  The worst injury was a slightly bloody lip and the adults were sorer than the kids.  Bradley and I both got to chaperone the trip and neither of us had ice skated in over 20 years.  I stayed in my comfort zone, but Bradley and Carter blew me away.  By the end of the day there were races across the rink.

Carter and Miles have both been skiing since they were three years old.  We are JUST now at the point that we can ski as a family.  No one has to wait, no one has to have the chairlift slowed down, and EVERYONE can put their boots and skis on independently.  Although I was anticipating an eternity of this, Carter has been begging us to try snowboarding.  After a day on the board at Shasta yesterday, I think we've lost him to the dark side.  That's right.  We're now a mixed winter-sports family.  Three skiiers and one knuckle dragger.  I was blown away with how well he did on his first day and how much better he got.  He didn't complain once and was able to keep up with the family by the last run of the day.

A highlight of our month was a visit from my Uncle PB and Aunt Bunny.  We hosted them for dinner and had delightful conversation.  Another unexpected moment from the month came when Uncle PB announced his PR marathon time.  Always such a blessing to spend time with family, especially those we don't get to see often.


We unexpectedly broke some records this month!  Mom maintained a 7:07 pace for a ten mile run which was VERY hilly.  Miles rode his bike for three miles, and Carter read so many chapter books (in first grade) that he got to be principal for the afternoon.


An extremely successful dad/business mogul/farmer/father of four/ who recently moved to our community recently told me that, "You know Joy, if you keep your expectations low enough, you're seldom disappointed."  The first time he told me this, I was a bit surprised because it seemed a bit defeatist coming from such a successful and respectable man.  However, looking back on January, he month of little to no expectations - I wasn't ever disappointed, in fact I was pleasantly surprised.